The Bombay High Court granted interim stay on the eviction notice issued by civic-run Sion Hospital against an NGO asking it to relocate its rehabilitation centre for paraplegic patients within the premises of the hospital.

A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice M S Sanklecha was hearing a petition filed by the NGO, ‘Paraplegics Foundation’, established in 1968, challenging the eviction notice issued on January 6.

According to the petition, the organisation provides post-operative and post-hospital care and rehabilitation to paraplegics.

“When the foundation was set up, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Dean of LokmanyaTilak Municipal General Hospital (Sion hospital) allotted partial space in the hospital premises. Later on, an entire barrack in the rear side of the hospital was allotted to the foundation,” the petition said.

The Foundation said it repaired the 14,000 sq ft premises through funds received from donations and made it suitable for paraplegics.

“However, last year the hospital authority decided to open a metro blood bank in the same premises and asked the petitioner to shift to another premise in the hospital. The alternate premise admeasuring 4,500 square feet is not suitable for persons with disabilities,” the petition said.

The petition sought for the eviction notice to be quashed and set aside.

The High Court today issued notices to BMC and dean of Sion hospital and asked them to file their affidavits by February 17 while staying implementation of the eviction notice.